Sen. Matt McCoy, D-Des Moines, said in an Iowa Senate floor speech on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2018, that state officials should sell the scandal-ridden Iowa Communications Network. If it were a business, it would be bankrupt, he said.
William Petroski / The Register

Prairie Meadows’ CEO — who is in ongoing multi-million dollar lease negotiations with Polk County — hosted a fundraiser last week for the re-election of County Supervisor John Mauro, raising questions from critics.

Polk County, which owns the property where Prairie Meadows operates, receives roughly $25 million a year from the casino. More than half, $15.6 million, comes from monthly rent in an agreement that expires at the end of this year.

Longtime Prairie Meadows CEO Gary Palmer was the lead host of a $100 to $500-per-seat fundraiser last week for Mauro at the Big Steer steakhouse in Altoona. The event also was hosted by Des Moines area attorneys Brad Skinner and Don Timmins.

People who made reservations to attend the event were scheduled through Julie Stewart, the director of community relations for the casino. Stewart used a non-casino email and a cell number as a point of contact.

Mauro said he does not expect to be a part of the actual lease negotiations with Prairie Meadows this year. Supervisor and Board Chairwoman Angela Connolly and Vice Chairman Tom Hockensmith will hold those responsibilities, he said.

The event last week raised about $2,500, which Mauro said was a small gathering comprised mostly of people whom he has associated with for years in his role as a supervisor.

"It was nothing to do with Prairie Meadows," Mauro said of last week's event.

Mauro, 76, has spent 24 years as a supervisor, serving from 1990 to 1998, when he was bested by Gene Phillips, a former Des Moines councilman.

Mauro won the seat back from Phillips in 2002 and has held it since. The district includes the majority of Des Moines’ south side and downtown areas.

Polk County Board of Supervisors District 5 Democratic candidates 2018(Photo: Special to the Register)

McCoy, 51, owns and runs RDC Resource Development Consultants in Des Moines. He has spent 26 years as a legislator, representing portions of Des Moines and West Des Moines.

Lou McDonald, 34, the former digital director for presidential candidate Martin O'Malley's Iowa campaign, is the third candidate on the June 5 Democratic primary ballot. Prairie Meadows has been good for Polk County and hundreds of charitable organizations throughout the state but he said he would "obviously love them to be unbiased in a primary."

Prairie Meadows Board Member Mark Cooper voted against a 35 percent bonus this year for CEO Gary Palmer(Photo: Special to the Register)

Questions about Mauro’s relationship with Prairie Meadows were also raised in July when he sought money for The Partnership for a Hunger-Free Polk County. The Partnership, launched last year with Mauro’s help, is designed to help assist thousands of families in Polk County.

Michael Gartner(Photo: Special to the Register)

Prairie Meadows Board Member Mark Cooper in July noted the casino has given more than $1.2 million to the Partnership in two grant allocations he said have circumvented the nonprofit’s typical grant process.

Several Prairie Meadows board members defended Mauro in that July meeting. Michael Gartner, a former editor of the Des Moines Register, said “this is Mr. Mauro’s passion and cause for life” and that he doesn’t believe the effort is politically driven.

Lisa Moody-Tunks, Polk County’s grant administrator, who is also one of the casino’s board members, said she has been doing grants for Polk County for years and “knows Mr. Mauro does not promote himself for personal recognition,” according to the minutes.

The Register provided copies of the marketing materials involved in the fundraiser hosted by Palmer to the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board, a state agency charged with enforcing election laws and rules.

The fundraiser and the activities last week from Prairie Meadows employees don’t appear to violate the state’s gift or conflict-of-interest rules, said Megan Tooker, the ethics board director.

(Photo: Special to the Register)

Palmer told the Register he contributed $500 and was not and will not be reimbursed by the casino for the donation.

“This event was put on by local friends of John Mauro who appreciate his dedication to Polk County,” Palmer said. “We talked a lot about his desire to end hunger in our community and the great job the supervisors have done, and continue to do for the greater Des Moines community.”